New clubs and grounds in the League of Ireland in 2009

**geezer** · 29/10/2008, 10:42 PM

but i would never panic over Mervue or Salthill. Utd sometimes can be its own worst enemy. LOI football is a tough tough stage to survive in and thats where you need a strong balance sheet and revenue streams, these clubs have quietly gone about putting these in place, Utd need to start and to be fair Athenry is a major start, next is putting back in the mgmt committees and looking after no1 ...GUFC

**micls** · 29/10/2008, 10:52 PM

It'd be kinda funny to have a team called Galway UNITED and another Galway team in the same league..........

**Patrick Dunne** · 29/10/2008, 10:58 PM

Mervue United still have to win two legged play-off against (probably) Kildare County to get up to the First Division.

With the second leg at Station Rd, and Tony Cousins bound to improve Kildare defensively, the Leinster side have to be favourites.

Mervue have done well in the A League, but they were facing teams with no incentive to win. Kildare will be fighting for their lives.

**Sheridan** · 29/10/2008, 11:02 PM

Yeah, but Kildare are crap.

**Lim till i die** · 29/10/2008, 11:12 PM

What's Galways arrangement for the use of Terryland??

If Mervue made the LoI could you see the junior clubs in Galway petitioning for them to get first refusal on the ground (ie Mervue using it on Friday, Galway on Saturday)

**Patrick Dunne** · 29/10/2008, 11:22 PM

United would have first call - we have a long-term lease. Another club would probably use Saturday evenings.

**brianw82** · 29/10/2008, 11:57 PM

I was under the impression that these A-Championship clubs had to finish higher than the A-teams of Premier/First Division sides in order to get into the playoff. Was this never the case?

**srfc1928** · 30/10/2008, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by Patrick Dunne

Mervue United still have to win two legged play-off against (probably) Kildare County to get up to the First Division.

With the second leg at Station Rd, and Tony Cousins bound to improve Kildare defensively, the Leinster side have to be favourites.

Mervue have done well in the A League, but they were facing teams with no incentive to win. Kildare will be fighting for their lives.

Lights Camera Action
Its DVD time in Galway

**Olander** · 30/10/2008, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by srfc1928

Lights Camera Action
Its DVD time in Galway

**srfc1928** · 30/10/2008, 1:44 AM

Originally Posted by Olander

Old news !
how long have you been waiting to use that, lol

**WoodquayBoy** · 30/10/2008, 8:38 AM

Originally Posted by brianw82

I was under the impression that these A-Championship clubs had to finish higher than the A-teams of Premier/First Division sides in order to get into the playoff. Was this never the case?

The non League of Ireland A sides had to finish in the top four of their pools to qualify for a playoff against the bottom side in the First Division. If Mervue or Salthill finished in the same position in Pool A as Tulamore did in Pool B, then those sides would playoff against each other, with the winner going on to the promotion/relegaiton playoff.
Tullamore are currently bottom of their Pool, Devon can't catch Mervue, and Mervue are guaranteed a top four finish

**London-Irish** · 05/11/2008, 9:01 PM

That play-off scenario sounds very exciting.

**dcfcsteve** · 05/11/2008, 9:53 PM

Originally Posted by micls

It'd be kinda funny to have a team called Galway UNITED and another Galway team in the same league..........

You mean like in Manchester, Sheffield or Dundee....?

**L37Ultra** · 06/11/2008, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by WoodquayBoy

The non League of Ireland A sides had to finish in the top four of their pools to qualify for a playoff against the bottom side in the First Division. If Mervue or Salthill finished in the same position in Pool A as Tulamore did in Pool B, then those sides would playoff against each other, with the winner going on to the promotion/relegaiton playoff.
Tullamore are currently bottom of their Pool, Devon can't catch Mervue, and Mervue are guaranteed a top four finish

What would have happen if say, both Salthill Devon and Mervue both finished in the Top four in Pool A and Tullamore also finished in the Top four in Pool B.

Just curious, not trying to be akward

**L37Ultra** · 06/11/2008, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by micls

It'd be kinda funny to have a team called Galway UNITED and another Galway team in the same league..........

Just like Cork City and Cobh ya?

**Schumi** · 06/11/2008, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by L37Ultra

What would have happen if say, both Salthill Devon and Mervue both finished in the Top four in Pool A and Tullamore also finished in the Top four in Pool B.

Just curious, not trying to be akward

As far as I know, Tullamore would play whichever of Salthill and Mervue finished higher in their group and the winner would play Kildare.

**monutdfc** · 06/11/2008, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by brianw82

I was under the impression that these A-Championship clubs had to finish higher than the A-teams of Premier/First Division sides in order to get into the playoff. Was this never the case?

My understanding was they had to finish in the top 4 to get into the playoff.

**A face** · 06/11/2008, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by L37Ultra

Just like Cork City and Cobh ya?

No way man ... Cork is Cork is Cork ..... and Cobh is .... well ...... err, its just Cobh, its done now and they cant change it, they will be Cobh for ever more and they cant go blaming us for it

**galwayhoop** · 06/11/2008, 2:08 PM

Originally Posted by geezer

Have done very well with developments in the last 10 years. They have full spec floodlighting now and a Grade A pitch, No stands but they are a fully commercial club now with plenty of revenue streams with, membership, lotto, 5 a side all weather pitches and very savvy on drawing funds from councils and government. There assets are valued at 6million on their balance sheet. (not including the grounds) If GUFC get in trouble they are well placed to take up any slack and can cover the costs of a 1st division outfit without any bother. Thats something they wouldnt have managed a few years back it would have been solely membership fees and lotto and hence that normally irked the parents when LOI football was mentioned at committee meetings.

That all sounds great but what exact revenue streams do they have outside membership and lotto? I presume you mean the income from the astro pitches? Surely all of their income is currently used fielding their existing teams and couldn't really cope with the extra couple of hundred thousand needed to run a LoI team!!

BTW balance sheet figures of €6 million sound great but in reality are worth damm all. What you need is a strong revenue stream to sustain running costs and especially wages.

Where exactly does the €6 million come from if not grounds???

**WoodquayBoy** · 06/11/2008, 3:04 PM

Originally Posted by L37Ultra

What would have happen if say, both Salthill Devon and Mervue both finished in the Top four in Pool A and Tullamore also finished in the Top four in Pool B.

Just curious, not trying to be akward

Not being smart, but depends on where they finished. Whichever team finished highest would go through to playoff, but if teams finished same position in both pools (Devon and Tullamore both finished 3rd in respective pools) then they would playt off, with winner going forward to League playoff.
Doesn't matter though, not going to happen now